The Safe Place

A few weeks ago, I returned from a major outreach event in India. God had blessed and many people from non-Christian backgrounds came to Christ. The experience gave me courage to write about penetrating the darkness in my e-book, God’s Glory in the Darkness. I encouraged Christians not to fear the darkness, but penetrate it.

The Holy Spirit checked my heart as I wrote and edited the work. His small still voice seemed to ask, “Do you really believe that?”
I thought, Of course, I believe it. The test to my thinking came within twenty-four hours. A friend from London contacted me about a conference in Europe. As we discussed the possibility, he also mentioned another outreach possibility that was heavy on his heart. For security reasons, I can’t describe that opportunity in this piece. It’s sufficient to say that he has a unique opening to conduct an evangelistic outreach in the heart of today’s terrorism. He then asked, “Sammy, will you come and preach the gospel?”

I took a deep breath. “Let me pray about it.”

The question once again rose in my heart. “Do you really believe what you wrote?”

This time, there was no quick or easy answer. I had to ask God to search my heart. I found myself on my knees crying to God. “Oh, God. I believe in You. I give You my heart, my life, my all.” A refreshing from heaven descended upon my soul.

You may be wondering what it was that I wrote. Here are a few lines.

If our passion is for the glory of God, then we must not sit on the sidelines as cheerleaders. God’s love compels us to carry the light into the darkness. I’ve witnessed light shatter darkness on numerous occasions in various parts of the world. I’ve never seen a spiritual awakening take place when the light retreated to a “safe place.”

The “safe place” is not as secure as many think. Retreating to the safety of shadows only delays the arrival of darkness. It will still cover our communities, perhaps slowly, but surely. Darkness can be scary because of the unknown dwelling inside it. We must understand that darkness can roar like a lion, but it can’t destroy those carrying the light. We must never retreat, but be filled with love and humility, bringing light into the deepest parts of the darkness.

It was easy for me to write that we must not remain in our “safe places.” But, it’s another thing to abandon the “safe place.” It’s easy to stand in our pulpits or sit in our church pews and say that we have the hope for the world. It’s another thing to go into the world – to obey the Word of God. As I surrendered to God, He refreshed my heart. When revival comes, God moves us from the place of talking about revival to actively participating in it.

The purpose of revival is not to give us a fresh sermon illustration or a clever way of expressing our ideas. Revival thrusts us into the center of God’s will. It’s calls us to action. It produces a life of obedience.

In April, I will be speaking at the Heart-Cry for Revival Conference (Conference link). My prayer for our Heart-Cry for Revival conference is that we will leave with a fresh vision of what God has called us to become and do. My heart cries that we will leave The Cove with a passion to do His will. My prayer is that the light of His love will spread rapidly from the training center to every part of the nation. May revival descend during these days!